Safe and arm systems for weapons, including, guns, explosives, etc., are well known and typically require the activation of more than one switch, detection of one or more environmental conditions, and/or the use of special keys or codes before firing the weapon. Most weapons include a safety mechanism to prevent the weapon from discharging accidentally. These safety mechanisms can be built into the weapon or provided as an accessory, such as a trigger lock.
Robotic devices and remote systems are being used for border security and other specialized tasks. The use of mobile robotic systems, in particular, is increasing. In many industrial robots, electronic safety systems typically are employed to prevent inadvertent operation of the robot that could injure the operator.
Remotely controlled weapons mounted on or integrated into robotic systems pose significant hazards, including accidental weapon discharge, uncontrolled or unexpected discharge due to failures in the hardware or software, etc., that could proved harmful to operators and maintainers of these weapons.